Canal Fulton Library expansion moves ahead

Thursday

After a month delay, construction is underway on a $1.3 million addition.

CANAL FULTON After a month delay, construction has begun on the $1.3 million addition to the Canal Fulton Public Library.

Crews began work earlier this month, library Director David Brown said.

Construction was set to begin March 30 but pushed back because of COVID-19.

The 3,305-square-foot addition includes a program room, enlarged handicap-accessible restrooms and office space for department managers.

Brown said the expansion with be adjacent to the historic Sullilvan House portion of the library, at 154 Market St. E, with a 2,266 square feet on the first floor and 1,039 square feet on the second.

The expansion has been in the works for years.

When the library expanded more than 15 years ago, architects designed a multi-phased project that included adding the program room.

Brown said most county libraries have a dedicated space to host programs. Without it, Canal Fulton has to utilize areas where materials are located.

“So when an author comes to speak or a storytime is going on those materials in that room are not available (to patrons),” Brown said. “With the program room, we’ll be able to have everything there in the dedicated space.”

The last library expansion was completed in 2004, Brown said. A new entryway was built on the facility’s north side, in addition to a 39-space parking lot that includes three handicapped spaces.

The facility has grown multiple times since the historic Sullivan House became a library in 1949. The home was originally built in the 1870s. The original city library opened on High Street NE in a former school in 1937.

The library contracted with IAP Government Services Group to manage the project.

With the help of IAP, the library hired K2M Design as the architect. Johnson-Laux Construction is the general contractor.

Brown is excited to see project come to fruition.

The $1.3 million project will be funded by capital dollars set aside for years for the anticipated construction project as well as a loan.

The project should be completed this fall.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to use it,” Brown said referring to the uncertainty of when the library will reopen after the COVID-19 closure.

Resuming services

After being closed since mid-March, staff has begun to return. Last week, the library began offering contactless curbside pickup and accepting returns.

Employees underwent safety training and worked out procedures for the pickup, Brown said.

The library has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

To minimize the staff handling materials from book drops, library board member Bud Graham designed and constructed a special dolly and an extra-large box.

Materials can be placed in the outside book or audio-visual return during library hours.

Recently, the library board agreed to eliminate late fines. Those with overdue materials will no longer be charged a fee, Brown said, however patrons who lose items or damage them will be require to pay a replacement fee.

“People are stressed out already they certainly don’t need library fines to worry about,” he added.

Materials will be held in quarantine for several days before they are disinfected and returned to circulation.

The staff also has been very busy determining how to provide programming.

“A lot of this we haven’t done before,” Brown said. “Before we had lots of summer reading programs and kids coming into see the people from the zoo or another program, but we can’t do that anymore.”

Brown anticipates continuing to host the programs but doing so online through Zoom or another program.

At the request of Mayor Joe Schultz, the library loaned its 3D printer to a community member making parts for personal protection equipment.

“This is a community emergency and this is one way we can help,” Brown said.

Reach Amy at 330-775-1135 or amy.knapp@indeonline.com

On Twitter: @aknappINDE

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